hypnolibertarian

One of the things that the unconscious mind (brain) does extremely well is  create patterns.  If you show a series of random numbers to most people,  they will say that they are not really random and tell you about the  patterns they discern in the numbers.  The unconscious loves to make  connections, and those who wish to influence us use that fact constantly.  The most obvious use of connections is in the current ads from both  candidates.  Obama shows McCain with Bush, shaking hands with Bush, Bush and  McCain with their arms around each other, McCain saying he votes with Bush  90% of the time.  McCain uses this as well: commercials that show empty  headed bimbos then flashing to Obama, suffering people and then Obama, high  gas price signs and then Obama.  This kind of association is not at all subtle; it hammers the message home  with a nine pound sledge.  But there are other, more subtle ways of making  associations which go past the unconscious mind.  One of the best series of  commercials about this lately is the latest Target commercials.  For some  time, they have done commercials where the images don't have their name,  don't have their logo, but instead have lots of round things and lots of red  things.  Aside from being hypnotic rhythmically (see my post on visual  rhythm) these commercials establish connections between all sorts of  products and Target, and do it very subtly.  The goal, of course, is that  when you think of all these things you think of Target.  It also has you  straining for a pattern that may not be there; my wife and I have frequently  looked at each other after a new commercial for some product and said, "I  thought that was a Target commercial!"  Target not only makes connections,  but steals other products commercials in this way.  There are other ways of making connections that I will go into in other  posts.  For now, be aware of the connections commercials are making for you.  Why do they do that particular one?  Do you think it would be effective?